Ward gates
Blood Omen 2 (2002) |appearances = |related = Glyph magic, Glyph guards}}Ward Gates were devices used by the Sarafan to control the movement of Vampires . Kain encountered Ward Gates throughout Blood Omen 2 . Kain first encountered a Ward Gate in Umah 's tutorial in Chapter 1 : the Slums, where Umah described how active gates would burn a Vampire "as by fire", she also commented that touching a gate would sound an alarm to call Sarafan guards. (~Kain jumps over running water in a canal here. The section ends in a Ward Gate.~)Umah: "I spoke before of our mortal enemies, the Sarafan. It is their sworn crusade to destroy all vampires, and for this they have developed special defenses. You see here a Ward Gate."//'Kain:' "What, precisely, does it do?"//'Umah:' "Should you so much as touch it, you will be burned as by fire, and an alarm will summon the guards. The Sarafan have raised these Wards throughout Meridian. We can go no farther this way. Follow me into the sewer." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. "Continue on your way along the waterfront. Umah is standing in front of a green Ward Gate. She explains that the Sarafan have constructed these gates to keep the vampires at bay. Touching it will damage your health.//You'll therefore have to find a way around it. Backtrack and look for an open gate. The passageway leads down into the sewers and through another checkpoint." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 11.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 Shortly afterward, attempting to cross a bridge into the Lower City, Umah and Kain were separated when a Glyph Guard was alerted to Umah's presence and turned on the nearby Ward Gate. Umah: "Kain – this way."(~Umah runs forward past an inactive Ward Gate that spans the bridge entrance. She runs near a guard who has his back to her. The guard's armor suddenly glows. This is a Glyph Guard. He swings around and shouts~)//'Glyph Guard:' "Vampire! Here! Close the gate!" (~The Ward Gate comes to life. Kain runs against it and is thrown backwards. The Guard goes after Umah. Umah leaps out of his way, calling to Kain.~) Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Thereafter throughout Blood Omen 2, Ward Gates were utilised by the Sarafan to prevent Vampires moving through Meridian freely and to protect 'sensitive' locations. Kain often had to either deactivate or otherwise maneuver around them . Notably Ward Gates were used to break up the 'main street' in the Lower City and throughout the Sarafan Keep, where they were used in various prisons as well as in the main corridors of the Keep. Notes *Ward Gates glowed with a green energy that was likely derived from the Glyph magic that the Sarafan (or Hylden ) had brought to Nosgoth. Ward Gates at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn ). *Umah states that the Sarafan have raised wards throughout Meridian, but she doesn't mention the rest of Nosgoth. It may be that with the Cabal (and the traitor vampires) based in Meridian, there is little need of them elsewhere. *Ward Gates will glow green as Kain approaches; but it is unknown if this is a consequence of a Vampire approaching, or simply a visual effect caused by the proximity of the gate: Few Humans seem to pay any attention to the glow . *Nobleman Artemis was notably murdered by Kain so that a Cabal Contact would open a Ward Gate in the Sarafan Keep. Noblewoman: "Greetings, vampire."//'Kain:' "You have mistaken me, madam, for some…thing I am not."//'Noblewoman:' "Don’t waste my time. I know what you are. I work for the Cabal. Now listen carefully."//'Kain:' "Speak, then, madam"//'Noblewoman:' "The woman you seek is held in one of the upper towers."//'Kain:' "Very good. How do I get to her?"//'Noblewoman:' "Not so fast. You will need to pass this ward gate, and you will need me to open it for you."///'Kain:' "Then do so at once!"//'Noblewoman:' "In due time. First there is another task that must be completed. "//'Kain:' "What task?"//'Noblewoman:' "A noble of some importance is visiting the Keep at this moment. He must be killed."//'Kain:' "So that you will open the ward gate? Do you think me a fool? Open it!"//'Noblewoman:' "He must be killed, I tell you. He is a traitor. He has done immeasurable harm to the Cabal. I swear it."//'Kain:' "Do I look like a common assassin?"//'Noblewoman:' "The ward gate will not be opened until that man is dead. I promise you. His name is Artemus. You will know him by his blue cloak. When he is dead, when his lying tongue has been stopped, I will open the gate, and not before. Will you do it?"//'Kain:' "Apparently I have no choice."//'Noblewoman:' "Go, kill him, Kain. Rip out his cruel heart. Return when the deed is done." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. *Curiously, some Ward Gates are seen in the Canyons nearby the Seer's Cottage, though it is unclear what their purpose is; Kain is the only Vampire seen around and both the Lesser demons and Humans are apparently immune to ward gate effects . Whether the Ward Gates would have had any effect on the Seer remains unclear. *The Hylden City is noticeably lacking in 'traditional' Glyph magic network applications (including Ward Gates), instead featuring a kind of raw 'Glyph energy' with several instances of green glowing 'liquid' and green glowing symbols and devices apparently providing power. In place of Ward Gates, the Hylden City appears to use a kind of 'Water Forcefield' . *In Chapter 11, Vorador calls the Hylden Shield technology a "Ward Barrier", ~Kain is within the Hylden City and has just shut off a large Ward Generator. He receives a Whisper from Vorador:~ Vorador: (Whispers) "Kain, the Hylden City's defenses have been broached. Janos can no longer sense a Ward barrier."//'Kain:' "My doing. I have shut down their foul magics, at least for a time."//'Vorador:' "Then we are ready to help you. Janos is casting a spell that will bring us to you in moments." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. perhaps suggesting that the 'magical shield' Janos: "My plan was to teleport us to the Hylden City, and launch a final assault on the Sarafan Lord, but now I find there is some kind of shield of magic that prevents me. If we are to fight them, that shield must be destroyed." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. protecting the Hylden City was linked to Ward Gates. Prima's Official Blood Omen 2 Guide ''also suggests this connection, simply calling the shield a "Ward Gate". "~Looks like you've found the shield generator. Unfortunately, its guardian has found you!~"//"~Quickly select your Telekinesis and use it on the Glyph Seal right in front of you. The glass barrier will protect you from the enemy's shots, but only temporarily. As soon as you've unlocked the seal, run left or right to the next one; it doesn't matter which direction you take.~"//"~Use your Telekinesis on the next Glyph Seal while standing behind the barrier. Continue along the edge of the room until you've unlocked the final two Seals. When the last Seal is broken, the machinery will collapse, destroying the Ward Gate protecting the Hylden Gate.~"'' Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002). Page 93. ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 See also * Ward Gates at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn ). References Category:Terms Category:Terms/Blood Omen 2 Category:Browse Category:Blood Omen 2